George Frederick Sargent (1811-1864)

In the collection we hold three volumes of drawings by G F Sargent who was working during the period c.1840 – 1861.

Sargent was living in Colebrooke Terrace, Islington in the 1840s and was born in Woolwich, Kent. His wife, Rosa Francesca Narcissa Alferes, was from Barcelona. They had a son G.F. Francesco Sargent (1837-1899) who also became an artist.

Sargent’s occupation was referred to on the 1851 census as ‘artist on wood’, so he was probably engraving by this point. He died on 19 March 1864 at 23 Goulden Terrace, Islington.

We have examples of his line drawings, sketches, and watercolours. His choice of subject covered a range of sites across London including theatres, the Great Exhibition, and the Colosseum in Regents Park along with places that have since been lost such as the doric portico at Euston Station. The streetscape of Piccadilly has a particular charm that encapsulates the artist and the everyday in preserving a scene.

Pentonville prison was drawn at the point of opening in 1842. Sargent appeared to be keen to observe new constructions that were changing life in the city including the metropolitan line, the world’s first underground passenger railway.

Sargent often depicted subjects at close range, and one gets a sense that he was working quickly to capture details on the spot, with some works unfinished.